Huskers Shutout Drake to Move to 8-1 on Season

Tucson, Ariz. - Junior right-hander Tatum Edwards tossed a four-hit shutout and drove in the game-winning run at the plate as the Nebraska softball team defeated Drake 2-0 in the Huskers' second game of the day on Saturday.

Edwards improved to 5-1 with her first shutout of the season. The shutout was Nebraska's fourth in its last five games. The Huskers have not allowed an earned run in their last five games - including all four games this weekend - a stretch that has total 37.1 innings.

Edwards struck out seven and walked only one. She allowed only four infield singles and worked around a pair of Husker errors, as Drake stranded eight batters. Nebraska stranded 11 runners of its own as the Huskers out-hit the Bulldogs 10-4, but two runs were enough to allow NU to improve to 8-1 on the year, tying the best nine-game start in school history.

Offensively, Tatum Edwards went 1-for-4 and her fourth-inning RBI double gave her all the run support she would need. Senior Brooke Thomason went 2-for-2 with a pair of walks, a run and an RBI, while sophomore Mattie Fowler was 2-for-3 with a double. Junior Taylor Edwards added a double of her own, as Nebraska hit three doubles in the game, in addition to stealing three bases.

Rebekah Schmidt (1-3) took the loss in relief for Drake, which fell to 5-4 on the season. Schmidt allowed two runs on six hits in 4.0 innings.

After Nebraska stranded a runner at third with two outs in the top of the first, the Huskers missed another opportunity in the top of the third. Freshman Alicia Armstrong began the inning with a single, advanced to second on a passed ball and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from classmate Kiki Stokes. But Armstrong would advance no further, as a pair of ground outs ended the threat.

In the bottom of the third, an infield single, a hit batter and an error loaded the bases for the middle of the Bulldog order. But Tatum Edwards bounced back, striking out the Nos. 3 and 4 hitters to keep the game scoreless.

Tatum Edwards then gave herself a lead to work with in the top of the fourth. Thomason began the frame with a single, and she moved up to second on a ground out from junior Kylee Muir. Tatum Edwards then ripped an RBI double past the third baseman and down the left field line, scoring Thomason with the game's first run.

The Huskers added an insurance run in the top of the fifth. Stokes walked to begin the inning and stole second. A bloop single from Taylor Edwards then put Huskers on first and third with one out, before Thomason scored Stokes with an infield single.

In the bottom of the frame, Sam West reached on an infield single with one out. She then attempted to steal second and a strong throw from Taylor Edwards appeared to be in time, but Armstrong was unable to corral the throw, and West not only stole second, but advanced all the way to third. A second straight infield single put Bulldogs at first and third with one out, before Edwards coaxed a pair of ground balls to escape the jam.

Drake threatened again in the bottom of the sixth.A hit batter, a walk and a ground out put Bulldogs on second and third with only one out. But Edwards escaped the self-made jam by striking out the next two batters.

In the top of the seventh, Taylor Edwards led off with a double and Thomason followed with a walk. Senior pinch-runner Megan Southworth and Thomason advanced to second and third on a groundout, before another ground out and a fly out prevented any insurance run from scoring.

Tatum Edwards would not need any insurance runs however, as she retired the side in order to preserve her first shutout of the season.

Nebraska wraps up play at the Hillenbrand Invitational on Sunday against Purdue in a non-conference matchup at Noon (Central).